So long to the Carry-On. I’m packing it all

With all the recent talk about not checking a bag with the airlines because of extra fee’s, fitting into a carry-on is still not always realistic. This of traveling with a child that is still in diapers, bringing gifts, moving for school, family reunions, the list goes on. This past weekend (4-day weekend) I went on a road trip for work, sure I wasn’t traveling by air, but the same tips still apply. Fitting everything I needed into one carry-on bag for car travel seemed ridiculous to me for this trip. I had an SUV with tons of space, and just me and my boss in the car. This is a major buying trip for us, both personally and for the store, so yet another reason why a carry-on sized bag just won’t do.

Suitcases, can come in many sizes, I chose a 26″ midsize for this trip. I often get tired of planning for a trip where I have to leave my electric toothbrush and charger at home, and instead pack the travel sized manual toothbrush. The travel bottles for conditioner and soap have a small opening (which makes pouring content into them very messy) and had a sticker that fell off the side after one shower, so now I can’t tell if it’s conditioner or soap in the bottle. I chucked out the bottles before this trip, so I had no choice but to pack my full 750ml shampoo and conditioner bottles. If you too have the space in your bag, it’s way more simple to pack this way than transferring bottles. I found some great products that are perfect for travelers who want to bring their regular every day essentials like I decided to do for this trip.

Below I’ll be listing products that to me, are the essence of packing substance over size. I have been using almost all these products for quite some time now, and am excited to share them with you

The Carry-Clip (or as I call it, the mommy hook)- This is a carabiner clip that can hook your sweater onto your purse, your briefcase onto larger suitcases, or keep your keys attached together and hooked inside your purse for added security. The most recent time I used this clip was at my sons’ birthday party. I had more gifts than I could carry, so I attached all of the bags together and carried 20 gift bags on one hook. I hardly fit through the door, but I cleaned out the party room in one trip to the car. I do like that you can do that exact thing with grocery bags or shopping bags. Or even attach your purse to a stroller or wheel chair. There are endless possibilities for what to use this clip for. You can let me know in the comments if you have found a creative use for these clips.

The neck pillow. I love my memory foam neck pillow. If you compare inflatable to non-inflatable neck pillows, I can almost bet that 100% of the time the non-inflatables will win for comfort. My choice of course, is one of the bulkiest options comparatively. Even if I’m not sleeping, I enjoy resting my head, for me it’s the easiest way to feel relaxed while sitting upright. The pillow I use is best transported in a small tote bag like the Loqi bag, and does not easily compress for storage, attach the loqi bag to your suitcases with the carry-clip from above.

The giant toiletry bag. I have to make the statement, that not everyone carries as much in their toiletry bag as I do. I just met a guy that only wanted a small travel toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant in his toiletry bag and it fit into the palm of his hand. I guess If you’re going somewhere that has all your essentials such as any modern hotel, then you won’t have to worry about packing anything because they will have everything supplied, but for me, especially on this trip, I plan to pack EVERYTHING. I want all my hair and makeup products, including my headbands and facemask. I need my jewelry, enough that I can wear a different statement piece every day. I also wanted to bring my favourite hairbrush which is massive. This toiletry bag fits my needs, and when I travel with family it fits all their needs too. I carry a pharmacy around in my bag too. This time of year, it’s allergies, mosquito bites, itchy eyes, and flu season, so I carry around all the meds I may need with me too. This innovative bag by TravelOn, even makes traveling with the entire family a breeze, since it can all be in one bag. Each person can have their own compartment if needed.

This bag is a clear, inflatable pouch that protects your alcohol from breaking in your suitcase. Roll down and velcro the closure to protect against spilling. Bringing back rum from Jamaica, vodka from Russia, or wine from italy has never been more simple. You can stuff as many of these inflatable pouches in your suitcase as you desire. This is also a great way to bring local wines as host gifts when you are staying at an AirBNB, or visiting family for the holidays. This may seem like a silly novelty gift, but it’s actually the most practical thing that someone can bring in their suitcase when travelling, you never know what you may find that you want to travel back with, Vermont maple syrup perhaps?

All of these products have been tested many times by me for quality and function, and I’m happy to say they have made the grade. I love being able to pack whatever I want in my suitcases, so when I can, these items are in the bag.